Top for furniture



July 8, 1930. p, BERGMANN v 1,770,293

TOP FOR FURNITURE Filed Aug. 10, 1927 Inventor- Philip Berymann By his Attarny;

Patented July 8, 1930 UNETED STATES VYP'ATEN'IJ; oFFlcE PHILIP BERGMANN, or PHIL DELPHIA, rnNNsYLvANIA, Assrsnon TO COLUMBIA STEEL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, JrENnsYLvANIA, 'AconronA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA T]? non FURNITURE Application med August 10, 1927. Serial No. 212,921.

This invention relates to metal furniture, such as desks, tables, and'the like, and especially to the construction of the tops of'such articles.

'5 An object of the invention is toprovide means for retaining the edges of a covering of sheet material on to the edges of the tops of desks, tables, etc.

Another object is to produce an eflicient,

strong and durable construction of the type specified, which may be economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages/will hereinafter appear.

The views of the drawings are Figure 1 is a perspective view of one corner of a desk top constructed according to my invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a vertical section as seen from the line '22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of a portion of the binding strip.

Referring to the drawings, the desk or table top comprises a flat sheet metal plate 5 of any desired configuration.

Depending from the edges of the plate 5 is a channel member 6 having an inwardly eX-' tending flange 7 that is attached to the under side of the plate 5 by any suitable means, such 0 as by welding.

The channel member 6 is U-shaped in form, with an inner vertical side wall 8 depending from the flange 7, and an outer vertical side wall 9 spaced a suitable distance from the wall 8 and connected thereto by a bottom 10. The outer wall 9 of the channel member should terminate below the edges of the plate 5 to provide a space 11, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The covering for the top may be in the form of any suitable sheet material 12, such as linoleum. The covering iscut approximately the same size as the plate 5, and-its edges may be bevelled, as indicated at 13. a

For the purpose of binding the edges of the covering12 to the edges of the plate 5, use is made of a clamping strip 14 formed. of

sheet metal and shaped as shown in Fig.

The clamping strip is of considerable length and in cross-section is in the'form of a lever having a clamping portion 15 ar- 14 also extends under the plate 5 as shown,

and acts to support the outer edge of the.

plate.

' The portion 17 of the strip 14 extends into the channel member 6 and is preferably curved as shown, the lower edge of the strip bearing against the inner wall 8 of the channel member, as shown in Fig. 2, with sufli- I cient pressure as to force the clamping portion 15 of the strip firmly against the beveled edge of the covering 12, clamping the covering firmly to the sheet metal top plate 5.

No attaching elements are used for permanently securing the parts together, and the strips 14 may be inserted either lengthwise in the channels 6 or sidewise when the parts are being assembled. If the strips 14 are inserted lengthwise, the adjoining ends of the channels 6 at the corners, are separated slightly and the strips inserted therein in substantially the same position as is shown by Fig. 2, after which the adjoining ends of the channels at the corners may be closed and soldered or welded together. If the clamping strips14 are inserted sidewisein the chan nels, the outer wall .9 thereof can'be sprung outwardly slightly and the strip forced in through the space 11 between the channel and the plate 5 until the rib 16 is in the position shown.- Both methods of inserting the binding strips in the channels have proven satisfactory in actual practice.

' The invention set forth herein is, of course, susceptible of various modifications and adaptations.

The invention claimed is The combination in a top, of a depending channelmember secured tothe underside of thetop near its edge, the outer wall of the channel member being spaced from the top; a covering of sheet material forming the top;

and an unattached clamping strip having a portion within the channel member, and a portion extending through the space between the top of the wall of the channel member and the plate and arranged to bear against the edge of the sheet covering, the edge of the outer wall of the channel member forming a fulcrum for the clamping strip, and the portion of the clamping strip Within the 10 channel extending diagonally across the channel and bearing firmly against the inner wall of the channel with its free edge.

PHILIP BERGMANN. 

